A sad (hi)story
The present site where Fort Santiago in the Intramuros is was the site of the grand kawayan palace of Raha Sulayman.
When Miguel Lopez de Legazpi succeeded Ferdinand Magellan as the head of the expedition to the Las Islas Filipinas, the Spaniards are already a friend of the Cebuanos. Legazpi went on to have friends with other tribeleaders in other islands of the Visayan Region.
To better understand this, we must take note that the Philippines, before the Spaniards came, was divided into tribes or balangay or barangay or sultanates. There are the Cebuanos, Boholanos, Ilonggos, Bicolanos, Moros, Tagalogs, Igorots, Agta, Ilokanos, Mangyans, Ivatans, etc.
The Spaniards first had a friend with the Cebuanos and the natives' leader, Humabon, felt that the Spaniards should be a friend so that they could fight for them against the tribe of Mactan, then headed by Kalipulako (Lapu-lapu). The Spaniards, headed by Magellan, went on to demand Kalipulako tributaries and accept Christianity and the leadership of Spain. Kalipulako vehemently disagreed which resulted in a fierce battle and the death of Magellan. In the Western perspective, they view Kalipulako as a a Barbarian because Magellan to them was a "great" man.
Anyway, back to Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, he successfully built a station in the island of Panay. Meaning, they became a friend of the Ilonggos. This point in history is one of the most crucial because the Spanish Station in the Panay Island became the staging ground for the deployment of armies to seize Manila from its leader, Raha Sulayman.
Just like any other tribes they went into, emissaries were first sent. These emisaries will demand to the tribe that they accept the Christianity as a religion and to pay tributaries and accept the power of Spain. Manila's Raha Sulayman turned down the demand. But this time, unlike Kalipulako who succeeded his fight against Spain, Manila's weak army failed against the Spaniard's strong armaments, Spanish soldiers, and native Visayan soldiers.
Raha Sulayman had no other choice but to give in, thus the (in)famous blood compact.
Before Sulayman gave in, the residential palace of the Datu was burned down by the Spaniards. And after the blood compact, they rebuilt the palace, now made of stone, and now for the leader of the Spaniard fleet in the Pacific.
On the ashes of the grand kawayan(bamboo) palace of the Datu of Manila was the place where the Spaniards directed the Filipinos to pile the stones for the center of the military power of Spain in the Philippines --- the Fort Santiago. And the whole tribe of Manila was surrounded by stone walls. This is now the Intramuros which we still can see until these days. The native Manileños were driven away to the suburb we later called Tondo so that only Spanish people can reside inside with the protection of the stoned walls.
When Miguel Lopez de Legazpi succeeded Ferdinand Magellan as the head of the expedition to the Las Islas Filipinas, the Spaniards are already a friend of the Cebuanos. Legazpi went on to have friends with other tribeleaders in other islands of the Visayan Region.
To better understand this, we must take note that the Philippines, before the Spaniards came, was divided into tribes or balangay or barangay or sultanates. There are the Cebuanos, Boholanos, Ilonggos, Bicolanos, Moros, Tagalogs, Igorots, Agta, Ilokanos, Mangyans, Ivatans, etc.
The Spaniards first had a friend with the Cebuanos and the natives' leader, Humabon, felt that the Spaniards should be a friend so that they could fight for them against the tribe of Mactan, then headed by Kalipulako (Lapu-lapu). The Spaniards, headed by Magellan, went on to demand Kalipulako tributaries and accept Christianity and the leadership of Spain. Kalipulako vehemently disagreed which resulted in a fierce battle and the death of Magellan. In the Western perspective, they view Kalipulako as a a Barbarian because Magellan to them was a "great" man.
Anyway, back to Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, he successfully built a station in the island of Panay. Meaning, they became a friend of the Ilonggos. This point in history is one of the most crucial because the Spanish Station in the Panay Island became the staging ground for the deployment of armies to seize Manila from its leader, Raha Sulayman.
Just like any other tribes they went into, emissaries were first sent. These emisaries will demand to the tribe that they accept the Christianity as a religion and to pay tributaries and accept the power of Spain. Manila's Raha Sulayman turned down the demand. But this time, unlike Kalipulako who succeeded his fight against Spain, Manila's weak army failed against the Spaniard's strong armaments, Spanish soldiers, and native Visayan soldiers.
Raha Sulayman had no other choice but to give in, thus the (in)famous blood compact.
Before Sulayman gave in, the residential palace of the Datu was burned down by the Spaniards. And after the blood compact, they rebuilt the palace, now made of stone, and now for the leader of the Spaniard fleet in the Pacific.
On the ashes of the grand kawayan(bamboo) palace of the Datu of Manila was the place where the Spaniards directed the Filipinos to pile the stones for the center of the military power of Spain in the Philippines --- the Fort Santiago. And the whole tribe of Manila was surrounded by stone walls. This is now the Intramuros which we still can see until these days. The native Manileños were driven away to the suburb we later called Tondo so that only Spanish people can reside inside with the protection of the stoned walls.
posted by Jay | 1:22 AM
